The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-09-03
MARION COUNTY
Comes TO the Front With Another Cold
Blooded Murder.
John Cartright Shot and Instantly KILL
ed by an Unknown Assassin.

I
John Cartright Shot and Instantly KILL
ed by an Unknown Assassin.
Fairmont Index.
On Wednesday morning the peo-
pie of Warrington we're startled with
the report that John J. Cartright
had been assassinated. 1t will be
remembered that few months ago,
while Cartright was riding from that
town, in company with several of his
neighbors, to his home about eight
miles from Warrington, he was shSt
in the public road After having
partially recovered from the wound
inflicted by that shot, he concluded
as matter of safety to go to town
to live. He did so, but left his fam
lily at his home in the country. In
the latter part of his stay in town
he boarded with Frank Jones, whose
house is not much over one hundred
yards from the bridge over Pyles'
Fork, on the street that runs paral-
lei with Buffalo creek, and not more
than 60 or 70 feet from the Buffalo
creek bank. On Wednesday morn
ing at about twenty minutes of seven
some dastardly assassin. who lay in
ambush in some high weeds Just
across the road, and not more than
60 feet distant, shot him through
the heart. Cartright had come out
to wash, but seeing young man, n.
Z. Conway, passing, stopped him
and engaged in conversation. and
while there talking the assassin's
bullet performed its deadly errand.
The report of the gun was heard
one-third of mile away. The ball
weighed $40 grains, is ZIG of an
inch in diameter, is battered at the
point to over three-fourths of an inch
in diameter, and according to the
evidence of Drs. M. f. Hamilton and
I. NJ. Calvert, who made post NOR
tenn examination, the bullet entered
on the left side of the sternum at
the union of the 9th and 7th ribs
with the sternum, ranged in through
backwards and slightly upwards.
passed through the heart and liver,
struck the fifth dorsa vertebrg and
lodged under the skin about an inch
to the left of the vertebre and pro
duced instant death. Cartright
leaves wife and four small children.
His remains were inferred in the
cemetery below town yesterday at
10 o'clock a. m.
Justice j. F. Christy had summon
ed jury of inquest, the members of
which are B. F. Charlton, J. C.
Jones, j. H. Furbee, P. S. Barrack,
J. A Hough, Thomas Smith, Jere
Senior, j. B. Motter, J. M. Tetrick,
John Walker, John Whitlatch and
W. B. Charlton. The jury heard the
evidence of young Conway and the
doctors, and adjourned to another
day. A number of the Clements
Guards and other citizens we'll arm
ed started in pursuit of the assassin.
This is certainly the most deliber-
ate murder that was ever committed
in this country. The assassin made
way with his victim in broad day
light upon public street while peo-
pie were passing, and leisurely walk
ed away. He was seen by different
persons, but no one knew him. No
more courageous man ever lived
than John J. Cartright. Had the
assassin given him fair warning and
an equal chance Cartright would
have been alive to-day and the as
sassin dead, as he ought to be. Sus-
picion pointed to Sed Snodgrass,
who has been recently released from
the penitentiary in Ohio, where he
has been confined for the murder of
negro at Marietta some years ago,
and warrant was put in the officers
hands charging him with being the
assassin.
Yesterday morning Snodgrass
came into Warrington and surren-
dered himself to the authorities,
claiming that he had spent the night
at the house of Justice M. MILAN,
in Lincoln district, and did not com
nit the crime. He was placed under
arrest and his examination postpon-
ed untilsto-day.
There is division of opinion in
Warrington as to the perpetrator of
the deed. Some think that Snod-
grass is not guilty and that the as
sassin was not a resident of the
county and was not recognized by
any one who saw him. IfSnodgrass
can prove an abb by Squire Mil
Ian, or any of his family, who are Of
our most reliable people, it ought to
establish his innocence beyond a
doubt, and we would be exceedingly
glad if he would completely excul-
pate himself
Since the above was put in type
we learn that the preliminary hear
ing of Snodgrass before Justice
Christy took place at 10 o'clock on
Friday. The only witness called
was Justus MILAN who stated that
Snodgrass stayed at his house on
that night and was there all day
dressing up the grave of his mother.
Eight or ten other responsible men
we're present to corroborate MILAN
statement, but without going any
further the prisoner was released
It is believed by all that the party
is hired assassin.
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